Underfeed stoker



Fei), mz3, 1,660,779

C'. AFAM Filed Maj; lO, 1925 WITNESSESI M7* mag() ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

OTTO ARAM, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGEOUSE `ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

UN DERFEED STOKER.

Application led May 10,

My invention relates to mechanical underfeed stokers, more particularly to underfeed stokers having a relatively great length, and it has for an object to provide in each of the retorts cf a stoker of thecharacter designated, auxiliary fuel-feeding mechanism which shall operate with high degree of flexibility and efficiency in the distributionof fuel throughout the fuel bed.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide mechanical underfeed stokers with a fuelfeeding member in each retort which may be given a variable length of stroke. Such a construction is described in the patent of Elwood E. Taylor, N o. 792,862, granted June 20, 1905. The purpose of the present invention is to provide auxiliary feeding means which are adapted for employment in connection with stokers having retorts of greater length than have heretoforel been commonly provided. To this end, I employ two auxiliary rams mounted in different portions of the retort and operatively associated with the driving mechanism of the stoker by means of a single externally' extending connection in which means are provided for varying the effective feeding capacity of they two auxiliary rams. y

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview of an underfeed stoker embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the auxiliary rams and their actuating mechanism; Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section of a modified form of the auxiliary ram mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another modification of my auxiliary ram operating mechanism.

Referring to the drawlng, I show an underfeed Stoker of the well known type comprising retorts 11, twyers 12, a ho per 13, and a main ram 14 actuated throug a connecting rod 15 by suitable mechanism. On the bottom portion 18 of the retort 11 are supported .two separate auxiliary ams 19 and 20, the ram 19 being forward of the ram 20. The ram 19 is arranged to be reciprocated by means of a rod 23 which, as illustrated, may take the form of a tube or pipe.

The rod 23 is preferably disposed beneath the retort 11 and extends outwardly through the forward part of the Stoker setting. The outer end of the rod is provided with any suitable mechanism for causing a reciproca- 1923. Serial No. 638,119.

tion thereof. As shown a lever 24 fulcrumed at 25 engages the stops 26, 27, secured to the end of the rod. The stops 26 and 27 are preferably adjustably secured to the rod 23 in any suitable manner. As shown, vpins 29 60 passing through the stops 26 and 27 and holes 30 in rod 23 serve to secure the Stops 26 and 27 at varying positions along theirod 23. The upper end of the lever 24 is pro-v vided with ,a longitudinally extending slot which receives a wrist pin 31 of the ram 15, l which connection serves to cause an oscillation of the lever 24 and a reciprocation of the rod 23.

To the inner end of the rod 23 is perma- 70 nently secured a yoke member 35, thel arms 36 of which are connected to a lug 37 depending from the lower side of the auxiliary ram 19 and extending through a slot 36in the bottom of the retort 11. A rod 40 is 75 secured at one end to a lug 41 depending from the auxiliary ram 20 and passing through a slot 42 in the bottom ofthe retort 11. The other end of the rod 40 isv connected to the ram 19 and the rod ,'23 by`30 means of a lost-motion device which should be of such character as to permit of an equal movement ofthe two rams or a variable movement thereof as conditions of operation require. As illustrated, therod 40 passes be- 85 tween the arms 36 of the yoke 35 and extends telescopically into the tube 23. A movable stop 44 is secured to the rod 40 in such relation with respect to the yoke member 35 as to give the desired difference in stroke between the rams 19 and 20. The stop 44 may be secured to the vrod 40 in any suitable manner, as by means of pins 45 extending through the holes 46 in the rod 40. The yoke member 35 is provided with a depend- 95 ing lug 48 and the stop member 44 with a similar depending lug l49. A bolt 50 passes through the lugs 48 and 49 and is provided at its ends with nuts 51 which permit a proper adjustment of the relative positions l0@ of the two rams.

In the construction above described two separate mechanisms are provided for regulating the length of the strokes of the rams 19 and 20. The lost-motion mechanism as- 195 sociated with the outer end of the rod 23 is so constructed that at the beginning of each rearward stroke the rod assumes its extreme uppermost position so that the auxiliary ram 19 at all times begins its rearward or n@ ushing stroke from its uppermost position in the retort. The extent of the reciprocation of the rod 23, and hence of the ram 19, is regulated .by the movement of theA stop i 27' along the rod 23, in such a manner thatany Stroke of the ram 19 from no nio-vement to its maximum reciprocation may be ohtained. The second lost-motion mechanism is likewise constructed so that the lower auxiliary rain 20 begins its pushing` stroke from its uppermost position. To effect any desired adjustment of the lower ram 20 rom no motion to a stroke equal to that of the auxiliary ram 19 requires only a proper setting of the stop member 44 with respect to the rod 40 and an adjustment of the nuts 51 on the rod 50 to. engage the depending lugs 48 and 4.9 when both the rams 19 andl 20 are in their uppermost position. By rea- 20 son of the above arrangement both the upper ram 19 and the lower ram 20 begin their effective strokes from their uppermost positions and in case the lost-motion meehanisms are so adjusted that either one or both of the auxiliary rams 19 and 20 are given no reciprocating motion, they remain in their uppermost positions, where they are the better protected from the heat of the furnace. The uppermost positions of the auxiliary rams' may be adjusted to meet varying conditions of operation by a movement of the sto 26 along the rod 23.

In Fig. 3, I s ow a modiedarrangement of the operating mechanism for the auxiliary rams. A. single driving or connecting rod 61 is connected at its lower end to the depending lug 41 of the lower auxiliary ram and at its upper end to the main rain-driving mechanism in a manner similar to that described above in connection with Fig. 1.

The uper auxiliary ram 19 has a depending ug 65, which is adapted to engage a stop member 66 secured to rod 61 at a. point which will carry the auxiliary ram 45 19 to its foremost position at each forward reciprocation 0f the rod 6.1. An adjustable stop member 67 ma be secured to rod 61 at a lurality of positions by means of bolts 68. w ich pass through the stop member 67 and holes 69 in the rod 61. The adjustment of the s top member 67 along the rod 61 reg.- ulates the length of the stroke of the auxiliary ram 19.

As in the construction of Fig. 1, each of 5.5. the auxiliary rams 19 and 20 is returned tov its upper position on the forward stroke of the rod 61. In this modification, however,

the lower ram 20 at all times makes a full stroke while the stroke of the upper ram 00 19 may be adjusted so that it may have the full stroke of rod 61 or a. plurality of shorter lengths or no movement at all.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, u greater flexibility of operation isobtained y providing, in. addition to the lost motion connection associated with the upper rain 19, a lost motion connection for the lower ram Q0. As in the construction of Fig. 3, a singledriving rod 61 is connected at its upper end to the main Pani driving mechanism in a manner similar to that described above in conneetionwith Fig. 1. Reeipro` eating motion is transmitted from the rod 61 to the rain 19 through a lost motion arrangement whieh is identical with that shown and described in connection with Fig.. 3, withl the exception that the stop 66 is made adjustable along the rod 61 hy means of a pin 70 which passes through the stop 66 and holes 69 in rod 61. By changing the position of the stop/66 the uppermost position of the, rain 19 in the retort may be. varied to meet varying conditions of opera` tion.

The'low-er ram 2O is actuated by the reciproeation of rod 61. through a lost motion connection similar to that employed for the actuation ftlie upper rain 19.. As shown, the ram 20 has a depending lug 72 having an eye 73 in which the. md 61 may freely slide. Stops 74 and 75 are adjustahly secured to the rod 61, as by bolts 76,v and holes. 77 in rod 6l, the, holes 77 being spaced along the rod in such manner that the op.- erating position of .both the stops 73 and 74 maybe readily set in desired positions.

In thisV en1bodinient both ,the position and length of stroke of each of the auxiliary rams 19and 20 may be adjusted independently one of the other, and the stroke length of the rod'Gl varied by an adjustment of the stops 26 and 2.17", which are accessible from the front of vthe sto-ker. This arrangement provides for the actuation of both of the rams 19 and 20 byA a single rod 61 and permits any desired relatve. stroke length he tween the two auxiliary 'rams at any desired portions of the. reto-rt.

This fiexibility of adjustment has'heen found advantageous in Stoker installations where, because-of fuel supply shortage or for any other reasons, fuels tif-widely varying character are employed in the same Stoker. The character of the fuel to be burned being knowm a setting of the adlustablev members of the. auxiliary ram ac.- tuatmg mechanisms. may he had which gives the maximum efficiency for that fuel.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious. to those skilled 1n the art that it is. not so limited, but is susceptible off various other changes andmodificat'ions without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suchlimi-tatons shallA be placed thereupon as are imposed` by the prior artor as are specifically set forth in the appended claims..

What I claim ist.. 1. In an under'feed Stoker, a retort, a main aser-),779

ram and two auxiliary rams in the retort, a driving means for the main ram, an extendible rod, means comprising a lost motion connection for securing the extendible rod to the main ram driving means, means for operatively securing one of the auxiliary rams to the extendible rod, and a lost-motion mechanism associated with the extendible rod for transmitting to the other of the auxiliary rams a stroke of lesser length than is transmitted to the one auxiliary ram.

2. In an underfeed Stoker, a retort, a main ram delivering fuel into the retort, a driving mechanism for the main ram, two auxiliary rams in the retort, an extendible rod, means comprising an adjustable lost-motion connection for securing the extendible rod to the main ram driving mechanism, means for operatively securing one of the auxiliary rams to the extendible rod, and a lost-motion mechanism associated with the extendible rod for transmitting to the other of the auxiliary rams a different stroke length than is transmitted to the one auxiliary ram.

3. In an underfeed Stoker, a retort, a main ram delivering fuel into the retort, a driving mechanism for the main ram, a plurality of auxiliary rams, extendible means having a lost-motion connection with the main ram driving means for actuating the auxiliary rams, and a lost-motion connecting means as sociated with the extendible means for effecting different stroke lengths to adjacent auxiliary rams.

4. In an underfeed Stoker, a retort, a main ram delivering fuel into the retort, a driving mechanism for said main ram, two

auxiliary rams in the retort, a rod connected at lone end to one of said auxiliary rams, an adjustable lost-motion mechanism connecting the other end of said rod to the driving mechanism, and adjustable lost-motion mechanism associated with said rod for transmitting to the other of said auxiliary rams a different stroke length than is transmitted to the said one auxiliary ram, the said lost-motion devices being so constructed and disposed that for all adjustments the extreme forward position of each of the rams is the same.

5. In an underfeed Stoker, a retort, two auxiliary rams in the retort, and means for reciprocating one ram, means connected to the aforesaid means for reciprocating the second ram, the connection between the two said means including an adjustable lost motion device, said lost-motion device being so constructed and disposed that for all adjustments of said lost-motion device the extreme forward position of each ram is the same.

6. In an underfeed stoker, a retort, two auxiliary rams in the retort, a hollow rod secured at one end to one of said rams and at the other end to the driving mechanism of said Stoker, a second rod connected to the other of said rams and extending into the hollow of said first rod, and a lost motion connection between said rods.V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7th day of May 1923.

OTTO ARAM. 

